Spring clamp



R. R. SHAY SPRING CLAMP Aug. 19 1924. 1,505,220

Filed Oct. 13. 1923 Invanffir- Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH R. SHAY, F PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO APPARATUS COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

srnrivo 0mm.

Application filed October 13,1923. Serial no. 668,272.

To all whom it may canoem:

Be it known that I, RALPH R. SHAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Park Ridge, in the county of Cook and 6 State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Spring Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

- This invention relates generally to a spring clamp and more particularly to one which has two relatively resilient arms slidable on a rod or post.

In many places where such a clamp is desired, especially in laboratory apparatus, there has always been a tendency for those clamps heretofore employed to lose the springiness that normally serves to hold them in the clamped position. This frequently compels one to remove the same and to bend it to regain the resiliency at the required relative position of its parts.

It frequently happens that a delicate instrument is held by the clamp and the above operation seriously interferes with its use. Likewise, it often happens that other clamps areabove and below, and it is necessary to remove one set of these in order to have access to the weak clamp to bend it into proper form.

The cause of such growing weakness in the clamp has been due to its manipulation in use. The construction of these clamps heretofore has been such as to permit the user to pinch the resilient arms to a greater degree than necessa to release-the clamp. If, after raising or l owering the clamp to the desired point, the user then lets go of the clamp, it and the article sup orted thereby may drop, with consequent age or damage. It is the object of my invention so to construct the clamp that the resilient arms are arrested in the-pinching movement at a point where the smoothest operation occurs, thereby preventing a permanent set in the resilient material of the clamp, as well as facilitating its use.

In the drawings Fig. 1 shows one embodi ment of my improved clamp in the clamped position. Fig. 2 shows the improved clamp in free sliding position. Fig. 3 shows a to plan View of the clamp of Fi 2 and Fig. 4 shows the clamp in section, tting tightly on the post.

In the drawings, 5 represents a standard I for supporting a laboratory utensil or instrument. A round post is shown since this reakrelative to each other, each arm having holes thereinadapted .to become alined in some deflected position of the two arms. In the form of clamp shown, generally designated as 6, the arms 7 and 8, bein of resilient material, are mutually r'esi ient relative to each other.

Both the arms 7 and 8 have holes 9 and 10, ;respectively, which conform substantially to the size and shape of the rod 5, being freely slidable on the latter in some one position. In the angular positions shown for these arms in Figs. 1 and 4, the post binds in the holes, each in the opposite direction, and thereby the clamping action is produced. In the clamp shown the arms 7 and 8' are branches of a U-shaped member, having resiliency tending to open outwardly. However any other form may be used wherein such a resilient eiiectis produced. In the use of the clamp 6 it is readily seen that pinching the two members 7 and 8 will aline the holes 9 and 10 to permit easy sliding on the post.

According to my invention I provide stop members adapted to limit the motion of the arms- 7 and 8 at the alined position of the holes 9 and 10. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, I continue the arms 7 and 8 forming the members 11 and 12 angular thereto and further bending them to form the parts 13 and 11 a s finger pieces. In Fig. 2 the parts 13 and 14 are shown in the pinched position, wherein each finger piece is a stop for the other, thereby limiting the motion of the ar s 7 and 8 at the freely sliding position w erein the holes 9 and 10 are alined. The pin 15 projecting from the bend-of the clamp serves to support a laboratory utensil or instrument.

It will be understood that the shape of the stop portions and the finger pieces may be varied without de arting from the scope of the invention de ed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

- 1. A laboratory support having, in combination, a rod and a spring clamp comprising two arms having holes through which the rod extends, said arms normally standing in such position that thewalls of the openings bind on said rod, and finger pieces on the free ends of said arms, said finger pieces being ofi'set inwardly toward each other from the free ends of the arms and adapted to be pinched into contact with each other and thus serve to limit ap reaching movement of the arms into posltion where they are freely slidabl'e on the rod.

2. A support for laboratory utensils comprising a rod and a spring clamp having two arms with holes thru which the rod extends, the free ends of the arms having finger pieces ofiset inwardly toward each 15 and adapted to support a laboratory utensi 20 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

RALPH R. SHAY. 

